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I fished Old Hickory this morning (5 to 10) with long time friend Ken Jenkins looking for Shell Crackers and boy did we find them. We caught 53 plus 20 big gills. We released all except out legal limit. We started out throwing jigs-I was using a VMC 1/32 Crappie Minnow Luv Bug and a Tungsten Bull Fly  1/32 Jig we had a few hits but then we switched over to small pieces of night crawlers and it was on.  We stopped on one of Ken’s beds and it was one Cracker or a big gill every cast. I like using the VMC  #8 long shank  Aberdeen hook www.vmchooks.com  You don’t have as many gut hook ups which is great for the fish you throw back. 6lb Sufix Clear Blue Pro Mix www.sufix.com on a M/L rod.  We had several as big or bigger as the 2 that Ken is holding.  Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I fished Tim’s for 5 hours caught 5 Smallmouth and 1 Hybrid with the 3 above being the best.  I fiddled with docks for the first 2 hours with no result. Knowing that it was going to be “HOT” by noon I shifted tactics. I used my side scan to find a few areas of blue gill beds and all 6 fish that I caught were associated with these beds.  I was throwing the Rapala  OG Tiny 4 Coosa Special www.rapala.com pictured above on 6lb Sufix Clear Blue Pro Mix Mono www.sufix.com . I set my boat in 6-8 feet of water and made my cast  parallel to the bank so that the OG Tiny would come though as much of the bed as possible. Full moon tomorrow night so the gill’s will be working away and the bass will chasing them. Pick  up a couple OG Tiny’s you won’t be sorry—-I have grown to really like and have a lot of confidence in the Coosa Special  it’s not only a great color but it has produced for me no matter the season. Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Marshall caught 15 nice blue gill a little bit ago in the pond. He’s going to be a good fisherman—I’ve been the baby sitter for the last 6 weeks  most week days because of the massive computer virus attack on the hospital where my daughter-in law works. She is able to start working out of their house again starting tomorrow so I should be able to get back out on the lake.  He’s a good kid-for real. Rick McFerrin

I fished Center Hill today with Braxton Campbell from 7am until 1pm The 4 pictured above was our best.  Braxton had our 2 best fish early and then it slowed down to a crawl. We covered a variety of areas with a variety of baits-soft plastic on a VMC Weedless Jig was the best for me. www.vmchook.com  Braxton caught the best 2 flipping and jig.  An enjoyable 6 hours with a great young guy. Braxton just finished his 1st year in college and is fishing the BFL this year–so far so good.  Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I fished CH today from 8:00am until 2:pm and the 6 above was my best of  (I’m guessing I had  20) several very small Spots and Smallmouth.  Everything today on a VMC Weedless Finesse Jig and soft plastics. www.vmchooks.com  10 Lb Yellow Sufix Braid and a 8lb Sufix fluorocarbon leader. www.sufix.com  water temp in the part of the lake I was on was 62 degrees .  I also lost 5 in bushes that I couldn’t get out.  Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I fished Tim’s out of Rock Creek today and the 5 above was my best of nine. I’m still working on the camera angle-www.rapala.com  I caught most of them on a new rapala bait that won’t be out until December or JanuMore info to come later I throw 90% of all my crankbait of  Sufix Clear Blue 6lb Pro Mix Mono www.sufix.com   Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

SORRY ABOUT THE PICTURES—My main camera died and I tried to take these with my cell phone-and obviously not very well. I actually caught and released 14 today-I just gave up on taking pictures. Everything was on either a VMC Weedless 1/8ounce Finesse Jig www.vmchooks.com and soft plastic.  !0lb Sufix Yellow Performance Braid and a 8lb Sufix Fluorocarbon or a Storm Swim Bait rigged on  1/4 ounce VMC Darter Head Jig 8lb Sufix Clear Blue Pro Mix Mono.  I plan to fish Thursday this week as well and will have the camera situation worked out by then. Thank you for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Just returned from Lake Hartwell on a short 3 1/2 day trip. For those 3 days Tim and I caught and released 4 Largemouth-1 Hybrid-65 Spots-the pictures above will give you a good idea of what we caught. Conditions changed each of the 4 days. Sunday when I got there at 11:30am (bright sun shine & 70’s) there was a Major League event with 250 boats plus all the wake boats pontoon boats and wave runners. We Caught most of our fish Sunday on crankbaits-I was throwing a  Ott”s Tiny River Shad and the Tiny Green Gizzard Shad-Tuesday It was overcast /rain and high 50’s Most of my fish came on a Rapala Holo Bone Skitter Walk which they would crush. www.rapala.com  Fun Plus! Tuesday and Wednesday it was high 70’s and low 80’s and bright sun shine and you couldn’t buy a top water or crankbait bite but they would get all over a Fluke rigged on a VMC Wide Gap Hook weightless. vmchooks.com  We had a lot of wind each day up to 20MPH  changing directions it seemed 2 or 3 times each day. I used 6 and 8lb Sufix Clear Blue Pro Mix 80% of the time www.sufix.com  The accommodations at the Togaloo State Park was wonderful-Great cottage with it’s own boat dock where 2 old guys could tie up at noon-eat lunch-take a break and catch a short nap before we went back out.  Thanks for visiting my site-My Rotator Cuff in my right arm is better–this was a good test to see how I was going to do.  Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Ken and I fished Tim’s yesterday and “I THOUGHT” we were going to be in for a great crankbait/Jerbait day. Over cast good wind a little light rain good water color due to recent heavier rains. “Wrong” We concentrated on Many  areas the gave up fish last week on a crankbait by we zeroed.  The big “0”.  So we switched over toward the end of our trip and put 4 in the boat (2 good ones) and had my line break at the leader knot on one.  Even throwing finesse stuff the bite was hard to come by.  VMC 3/16th Weedless Finesse Jigs www.vmchooks.com and Soft plastics rigged on Sufix 10lb Yellow Performance Braid and 8lb Sufix Fluorocarbon. www.sufix.com  Water temp was still in the  high 49 range but with all of the warm weather that we are having it has to start warming.  Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I’m trying to reach a man named JOHN BENNETT if you know him please have him call me at 615-308-9936  Thanks  Rick